Gasly maintains Alpine positivity in face of team order friction

Pierre Gasly has insisted the Canadian Grand Prix was a "positive" one for Alpine, regardless of discontent from Esteban Ocon over team orders.

The 28-year-old says the decision for Ocon to move aside in the final few laps was "no big deal", despite the latter driver taking to team radio to protest the call before ultimately acquiescing.

The hope was that by switching the drivers round, Gasly could attack Daniel Ricciardo ahead. This did not happen and the Alpine pair retained their revised positions to the chequered flag.

Ocon was quick to fan the flames of negativity post-race, expressing his anger that the positions were not reversed back, whilst Gasly instead wanted to focus on the positives of Alpine's best weekend of the season so far - even if his out-going did not.

"First of all, I think the main news should be that we score points with both cars," the Frenchman told media including RacingNews365 after the pair finished ninth and tenth respectively. "Looking at all the simulations this morning, none of them looked it will be achievable. So definitely a very positive day for the team.

"The target was quite clear at the end. I was faster on the hard tyres towards the end of the race, and I was right behind Daniel [Ricciardo].

"As soon as Daniel overtook Esteban [Ocon], the goal was for the other car to let me pass and for the last four laps to try to overtake Daniel with the DRS. Took slightly more time than we would have liked, but honestly, it's no big deal."

Delayed compliance with team orders

Having lined up P15 and P18 respectively, it was undeniably a strong performance by both Gasly and Ocon to claim three points and close the gap to Haas in the race for seventh in the constructors' championship to just two points.

However, with Ocon already confirmed to be moving on at the end of the season, back-to-back race weekends with internal tension and external attention will add further pressure to an already disappointing start to the season.

The events that unfolded at Alpine and between its two drivers in the final laps were not captured on TV, but Gasly explained that it took Ocon two laps to abide by the instructions and move aside, which he feels cost him any chance of getting past the RB.

In spite of this, the one-time race winner asserted it was also "no big deal", and that there was "great teamwork" on display to secure a result he feels could be "very valuable" come the end of the season.

"What's tricky is these two laps for Daniel to break the DRS - when you do it two laps until the end [of the race], it's too far away," he said.

"If it have been done slightly earlier, then potentially I am in the DRS and you get slightly more chances. But honestly, it's no big deal. I still think we did great teamwork today... it was a very good day for the whole team, and to come out with the three points could be very valuable at the end of the year."